Some industries and professions leave women more susceptible to sexual harassment, even violence in the workplace. Now, legislators and female workers in the agricultural industry are working together to stop the sexual harassment of farm workers in California. According to reports, women who work in fields and packaging plants are…
Orange County Employment Lawyers Blog
California Congresswoman: Minimum Wage Should Be $26 An Hour
Nationwide, cities, states, and even the federal government are considering and passing minimum wage hikes to protect low-wage workers and to meet contemporary financial needs. Though California’s minimum wage is slated to go up in July, other legislators are considering more aggressive hikes to support California workers. During an interview…
ENDA or Executive Order? Federal Action to End LGBT Discrimination
Workplace discrimination continues to impact the LGBT community in California and nationwide. Despite intolerance, hostile work environments, and other discriminatory practices, sexual preference is not a protected class. According to the Huffington Post, Vice President Joe Biden believes that President Obama should use his executive authority to ban workplace discrimination…
Pier One Imports Faces Pregnancy Discrimination Class-Action
Pregnancy discrimination continues to threaten the security, position, and rights of women in the workforce. A class-action discrimination lawsuit has been filed against the large retailer, Pier-One Imports after a plaintiff was forced into maternity leave before her due date. California labor law protects women from such discrimination; however, not…
CA Faces Legislative Debate Over Perma-Temp Workers
Businesses, especially large corporations, have been gradually using more temporary workers to reduce wage liabilities and evade other regulatory and compliance measures. Another growing trend is the use of ‘perma-temp’ workers or long-term temporary workers managed by staffing agencies rather than direct employers. These workers are often found on farms,…
LGBT Community Still Not ‘Out’ at Work
Despite a growing awareness, legal advancements, and tolerance towards the LGBT community, employees still admit that they are aren’t necessarily willing to be “out” in the workforce. Workers may not feel comfortable coming out, either in job interviews, or when on the job. According to a CNN report, 53% of…
Allstate Case Illustrates Risk of Signing Away the Right to Sue
After a company-wide restructuring, Allstate Insurance changed the rules for as many as 6,200 agents. Some agents had invested their own funds to build up their agencies over a decade or longer, with one man investing as much as $120,000 over 14 years and another investing $80,000. In 1999, these…
The Market Doesn’t Set Salaries- Boards Do
CNN Money recently tackled the widespread myth that the market sets salaries. The reality is that this is simply untrue. People on the company’s compensation committees set salaries and sometimes these boards do not make smart or informed choices. In fact, sometimes compensation committees make decisions that cause damage, including wage…
Tech Companies to Pay Millions to Settle Wage-Fixing Lawsuit
In 2011, tech workers filed a class action lawsuit against Apple Inc., Google Inc., Adobe Systems Inc. and Intel Inc. The workers claimed that the four tech giants conspired together and agreed that they would not solicit each other’s workers. This agreement was designed to prevent a salary war that…
Bill Would Allow Liens for Wage Theft in California
Assemblyman Mark Stone has introduced a bill, AB 2415, which would allow employees to record and enforce a lien on an employer’s property when allegations are made of unpaid wages. The lien may be recorded prior to the employee proving his entitlement to back pay. If the employee succeeds in…